The present disclosure relates to a method for determining theoretical total damage to at least one rotating component of a drive train and to a calculator unit for carrying out said method.
Even though the present disclosure is described primarily with reference to wind turbine generator systems (WTGS), it is not restricted to these but can in principle be used for all types of power generating plants and systems in which a drive train is designed with a view to the likely load collective. However, the disclosure yields particular advantages for systems in which making a replacement is a particularly complex operation, for example in the case of offshore systems.
Components having drive trains, such as for example gear mechanisms, couplings and connecting elements (shafts), are important component parts of various electrical energy generating systems, such as for example wind turbine generator systems, hydroelectric generator systems, etc. The drive train performs the task of establishing a mechanical connection between a drive input (for example a rotor of a wind turbine generator system) and a drive output (for example a corresponding generator), by way of which energy is transmitted by a rotational movement. Drive train components, such as gear mechanisms, serve the purpose of converting the rotational speed and the torque that occur at the drive input into values that correspond to the operating range of the generator. Shafts establish the mechanical connection between the components involved. Further components, such as mechanical brakes or the like, may also be integrated in the drive train. Couplings may be arranged if need be between two components, for example to compensate for misalignment.
Drive trains or the components thereof have a certain lifetime, which depends substantially on the loading (torque, torsion, vibrations, etc.). Drive trains can therefore be designed with a view to a likely (pre-calculated) load collective.
An essential precondition for the cost-effectiveness of wind turbine generator systems is that they are operated as far as possible without any interruptions. Unplanned operational interruptions in particular generate considerable repair costs, and often lead to insurance claims.
To avoid such disadvantages, WIGS are often provided with what is known as condition-oriented maintenance, which is for example performed on the basis of a vibration-based condition monitoring (CM) of rotor blades in corresponding condition monitoring devices or systems (CMS). Such measures allow for example the early detection of incipient damage in rotor blades. CMS are often designed for remote diagnosis, the condition messages being evaluated at certified diagnosis centers, often by specially trained personnel.
However, components for which there are no known monitoring possibilities are also used in WIGS, the disclosure being aimed at the drive train and the components thereof. As mentioned, these may be designed on the basis of the likely load conditions. However, the actual lifetime is not known during operation, and so servicing is not performed in a condition-oriented manner. There is therefore the need for the possibility of determining the lifetime of components of a drive train in energy generating systems while they are operating (“online”).